Roger-Pierre Movies

Alain Resnais's Mon Oncle D'Amerique is presented in the form of a "case history," replete with a pedantic narrator, played by real-life behavioral scientist Henri Laborit. Gerald Depardieu plays a plant manager whose behavior is inspired by the films of "macho" French film star Jean Gabin. Nicole Garcia portrays an actress who has patterned her conduct after stage and film luminary Jean Marais. And Roger-Pierre is a TV executive whose main influence in life is lovely cinema actress Danielle Darrieux. Though it may sound like a Woody Allen comedy, Mon Oncle D'Amerique eschews satire for the most part, treating both its subject matter and its subjects with intense seriousness. The film scored a hit with moviegoers and critics alike, and was honored with six French Cesar Awards. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A mystery playwright finds that he is the target of a killer. Fancying himself a sleuth, he insists upon solving the puzzle himself. Among his chief suspects are an old friend, his irresponsible wife, a flirtatious secretary, or his assistant -- who is actually the talent behind his successful plays. The popular stage and screen team of Michel Serrault and Jean Poiret would both be more widely known for their contributions to Edouard Molinaro's La Cage Aux Folles (1978). ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi

This was the penultimate film directed by Jean Boyer who began his career in 1930, focusing mainly on lightweight, commercial movies. In this case, Virginie might be a bit too fluffy, since the romantic comedy never gets very far below the surface, just like the boat on which it takes place. Olivier and Pierre (Jean-Marc Thibaut and Roger Pierre) have decided to sail to Argentina on their own large boat, and while on the ocean they plan on studying fish and filming their adventure (one is a scientist and the other a journalist). But fate steps in when the two rescue a pair of women, Betty and Brigitte (Michele Girardon and Mireille Dare), and as might be expected, a series of bumpy circumstances lead to romance all around. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Director and co-scripter Jean-Marc Thibault shares writing and acting honors with fellow vaudevillian Roger Pierre in this amusing and occasionally hilarious comedy about a petty thief and an intended sacrificial victim. Maurice (Roger Pierre) has managed to get through World War II by surviving in prison, living out a sentence for stealing a bicycle. Now that the war is over and he is out to participate in the celebrations, he goes home looking for some way to make a fast franc. He moves in with local post-office worker Roland (Thibault), who is more than willing to help him out. But after Maurice steals a horse and hides it in their apartment with the intent of selling it off to a slaughterhouse, the two are more than challenged -- especially since they both are developing a real affection for the potential victim. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Love and the Frenchwoman (La Francaise et L'Amour) concentrates on the nature of love by illustrating seven separate aspects of the emotion. In "Childhood," 9-year old Pierre-Jean Vaillard suffers a traumatic experience when he takes his parents' "cabbage patch" theory of conception too literally. In "Adolescence," a little girl (Annie Sinigalla) constructs an elaborate fantasy world on the occasion of her first kiss. "Virginity" is a study in frustration, as betrothed couple Valerie Lagrange and Pierre Michel agonizingly await their wedding-night consummation of their ardor. "Marriage" finds a union ending almost before it begins as a pair of newlyweds (Marie-Jose Nat and Claude Rich) bicker all the way to their honeymoon rendezvous. "Adultery" allows husband Paul Meurisse the opportunity to calmly provide an object lesson to his wife's lover Jean-Paul Belmondo. In "Divorce", a couple (Annie Girardot and Francois Pierer) find that it's impossible to have a "civilized" breakup. And in "A Woman Alone," bigamist Robert Lamoreaux meets his Waterloo in the forms of Martine Carol and Sylvia Montfort. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Director Jean Bastia has created another amusing comedy in this story about Claudius (Jean Richard), a local policeman who is plagued by the local bandit, Vittorio (Roger-Pierre). In reality, Claudius has become Vittorio's friend, which makes chasing after him in all seriousness a difficult proposition. Assisted by an able supporting cast and an upbeat spirit, this farce may be a bit too specialized in its regional humor and jargon to reach a general, non-French audience. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

La Vie est Belle is purely and simply a showcase for the popular French comedy team of Roger Pierre and Jean-Marc Thibaut. The two stars also co-directed the film, thereby beating Jerry Lewis to the punch by some four years. The "plot," concerning the efforts of four people to live as cheaply as two, is merely a clothesline upon which to hang a series of unrelated comedy sketches. Supporting Pierre and Thibaut are the toothsome Colette Ricard and Veronique Zuber. The film's ironic title translates to the equally ironic Life is Beautiful. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Le Madelon is the name of the young heroine played by Line Renaud. During WWI, the gaminlike Madelon becomes the unofficial mascot of the French army. When she is falsely informed that her soldier fiancé has been unfaithful, Madelon heads to the front in search of her "wandering" sweetheart. Along the way, star Line Renaud is permitted to sing several vintage ballads and patriotic tunes, usually accompanied by a robust male military chorus. Keeping Le Madelon in the context of its time period are some well-chosen newsreel clips, some of them deployed satirically to comment upon the action. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi